Railway-switch stand operating switch-point and distant signal.



E. M. ROBINSON. RAILWAY SWITCH STAND OPERATING SWITCH POINT AND DISTANT SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 19I0. Patented June 13, 1916.

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E. M. ROBINSON. I RAILWAY SWITCH STAND OPERATING SWITCH POINT AND DISTANT SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2|, 1910- THB CoLuMBlA PLANDGRAPH co ASHINOTON D c I E. M. ROBINSON. RAILWAY SWITCH STAND OPERATING SWITCH POINT AND DISTANT SIGNAL.

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E. M. ROBINSON. RAILWAY SWITCH STAND OPERATING SWITCH POINT AND DISTANT SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. I910.-

Patented June 13; 1916.

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' E. M. ROBINSONP RAILWAY SWITCH STAND OPERATING SWITCH POINT AND DIS TANT SIGNAL. I APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, I910. 1,186,834. Patented Jun'13, 1916.

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RAILWAY SWITCH STAND OPERATING SWITCH'POINT AND DISTANT SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED, FEB. 21. 1910.

Patnted J un 13, 1916.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2|. 1910.

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RAILWAY-SWITCH STAND OTEERATING SWITCH-POINT AND DISTANT SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent. .PatentedJune 13, 1916,

Application f led February 21, 1910. Serial No. 545,059.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, EUGENE M. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railway-Switch Stands Operating Switch-Points and Distant Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switchstand de-.

vices used upon railways to control and lock an adjacent switch and to set a distant signal to indicate the condition of said switch, it being impossible to padlock the switch when the signal indicates anything but safety. v

The object of this invention is to provide a simple device of this class which can be easily and cheaply made and installed, is satisfactory in operation and is not readily liable to get out of'order and also to make one which shall have the other advantages hereinafter pointed out.

The invention consists in the mechanism for carrying out the foregoing objects, hereafter described and claimed Referring to the drawings :Figure'1 is a plan view of the device showing the pre ferred form of the invention, in which the parts are in the position which they assume when the main track is clear and the. distant signal is set at safety. Fig. 2 is a similar plan view of" the same parts as in Fig.

1, showing thepositien which said parts as sume'when they are all attheir extreme opposite positions in which the distantsignal has been set at safety and the switch point has been completely thrown from main track position to side track or switching position. Fig. 3 is a front viewof the de-' vice taken in the direction of the arrow 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 43is a vertical sectional detail viewon approximately'the line 4.& of Fig. 1,.but with the switch lever proper in midthrow position. Fig. 5 is a perspeotive detail view of a cam device for controlling the movement of the target. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view of an intermediate link of the lever operating/mechanism. Fig. 7 is a detail View on the line'7- .7, Fig. 1, but with the lever in mid-throw position. Fig. 8 is a side detail view of the latch member. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the same part shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a detail view of the operating lever mechanism, the lever being in the mid-throw position, the

latch memberbeing removed to facilitate clearness of description. Fig. 11 is a view similar to F igflO, showing the lever mechanism. inits extreme position opposite to the position of Fig. 3. Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15 illustrate different positions assumed by the latch member 'as the operating lever moves to different positions.

The general frame casting 20 is secured to railroad ties 22 by spikes 24, and is, for

convenience, made of quite an irregular shape comprising various specific parts, some of which will hereafter be given different numerals. able recess 26 in this base casting is a locking bar 28.' Pivotednearone end of the frame casting 20 and adjacent to this recess 26 upon a pin30 is a lever 32 having its opposite ends connected by wires 34, orthe I like, to any suitable distant signal, adapted,

when operated, to indicate to a train approaching at a distance the condition of the switch controlled by this mechanism. In one arm of this lever 32 is an escapement or L shapedslot 38 of ordinary construction in which a pin 40 upon the adjacent looking bar 28 is'adapted to travel. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the short arm of this L slot runs along the axis of the lever 32, While the longer arm of the slotlies in substantially the central plane of the locking bar 28 when the lever 32 is in the position of Fig-2. Thelever 32, the locking .bar28 and the slot'38 are so arranged with reference to each other and with reference to the" distant signal that, when the parts are in the position of Fig. 1, the distant signal is in 'a position to indicate safety at the point controlled by the device here in question.- When the locking bar 28 has been 'moved suflieie'ntly sothat the lever 32 assumes the position of Fig. 2 with the long arm'of L slot 38' in line with locking bar 28 the distant signal indicates danger at the point controlledlby this mechanism irrespective of the position of pin 40 in the longer arm of L slot 38. In other words, when the lever 32 has been moved to the position of Fig. 2, the locking bar 28- may be moved backwardor forward a distance equal to the length of the longer arm of slot38 without in any way afiiecting thedistant signal and it will also be seen that when the pin 40 is in any portion of the long arm of slot 38 this lever 32 is locked by pin 40 so that it cannot possibly be ro- Slidably mounted in a suitcarrying at its outer end the usual weight 46.

. Rising from'the locking bar 28 is a lug pear hereafter.

In another part of the frame casting 20 5O inwhich is journaled a pin 52 on an intermediate link 54, best seen in Fig. 6, whose opposite end carries another pin 56 which is inserted in and journaled in switch lever 44, being secured in position by the cotter 58. Upon the end of intermediate link 54 nearest to pivot 52 are two ratchet-teeth 60 adapted to mesh and engage with a stationary tooth 62 directly behind member 102.

- The parts are so shaped that when the lever 44 is at one extreme limit of its throw they assume the position shown in Fig. 3'and that when the lever is moved to the opposite extreme limit of its throw theyassume the position shown in Fig. 11, the intermediate position through which the parts passin being moved from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 11 or vice versa, being shown in Fig. 10. The advantage of this construction of switch lever, intermediate link and gear. teeth lies in the fact that thereis no dead center existing in any position which these parts just described assume so that the lever 44 can be thrown over by a movement of locking bar 28. This situation saves breakage of the parts" described in the event ofthe switchcontrolled by this stand be ing run through as will more fully apis a vertical hub 66 in which is journaled a vertical shaft 68 to which an ordinary target,

not the same one here shown, may be at-v tached 1n the ordmary manner.

- secured upon this vertical shaft 68 is a crank arm 7 O carrying a crank pin 72 adapted to lie adjacent tothe vertical face74 of locking bar 28 and be engaged by lug 76 upon one end thereof, as shown in Fig. 2, and be driven into notch 78 in the face of said bar.

The notch 78 and the lug 76 are so shaped and located withreference to thislever arm and this pin 7 2 that during the time the switch lever 44 is operatingthe distant'signal in the manner heretofore described the locking bar will exert no influence upon this pin and crank, but as soon as the longer arm of the L slot 38 is brought into line with the locking bar v28 the lug 76 will engage the pin 72 and gradually rotate thecrank 70 to the position of- Fig.2. Also rigidly mounted upon the shaft 68, preferably so as to form a bell crank arm rigid with crank arm 70, heretofore described, is another lever Rigidly shown, which is'to be operated by this mechanism. The parts heretofore described are so shaped and arranged that as locking bar 28 moves the length of the longer arm of escapement L slot 38 this switch rod 82 is moved a sufficient distance to throw said adjacent switch point from closed position to opened position or from main track to switch track position. Rigidly attached to the switch point which is controlled by the switch rod 82 is a locking rod 84 which is in notchedengagement with the locking bar 28, as shown at 81, Fig. 4, and as is fully shown, described and claimed in my two prior Patents No. 759,634, issued May 10, 1904, and No. 778,336, issued December 27, 1904, prevents the switch point from being moved except when the distant signal is at a position to indicate dangerland conversely prevents the distant signal from being set to safety except when the switch point is locked. In other words, the initial movement of the switch lever 44 in moving locking bar 28, sets the distant signal to indicate tion but will not be affected during the portion of the movement of lever 44 in which lever 32 is being moved from safety to danger position. As this results in a confiict of signals it is preferable to make the target signal move simultaneously with the distant signal and this is accomplished by providing the target 86 mounted on a 1101- low sleeve 88, which fits over and rotates upon the shaft 68. Rigidly attached to this .sleeve 88 is a small crank arm 90 having on its end, a crank pin 92 adapted to travel in an escapement slot 94 in member 96 rigidly attached to the locking bar 28 by bolts 98 or other suitable means. crank arm and slot device are so shaped and arranged that the target 86 will be rotated simultaneously with the rocking of lever 32, and consequently the distant signal, not shown,ffrom safety to danger position or vice versa. and that said target signal 86 willnot move at any othertime. Y

As. shown in a number of figures, slots 100 are provided on opposite sides of the center of the switch stand for the guidance and support of the rod 84 but only one set 'ofthese slots is used at a time, they being provided on opposite sides of the center so that the base casting may be used in This crank pin, a

assembling either a right hand or left hand stand. 7

Rising from the base or frame casting proper and immediately beyond the switch lever 44 is a semicircular block 102 having in its top a V shaped notch 104 and in its opposite sides, as best seen in Figs. 13 and 15, tworelatively large notches 106 and 108 formed in the lines 110, 112, 114 and 116, as shown. In order that the stand maybe put together as a right or left handed stand, as desired, these last two notches are made of the same size and shape. Inclosing the switch lever 44 and slidable thereon is a latch block or dog 120 shown in particular detail in Figs. 8 and .9, the block proper having within it a wedge shaped recess 122 closed by a face plate 124 secured in position by rivets 126. On this face plate 124 is a U shaped lug 128 designed to actas a guard for the padlock and as a handle, the same having wanna arecess 130 opening into recess 122, as shown. This lug 128 is also opened up by having a notch 132 visible in Figs. 1 and 2 formed therein sov as to permit movements hereafter described. On the rear of this latch member 120 is a lug 134 of rectangular form following the dotted lines 136, 138, 140 and 142 of Fig. 8.

Projecting from one side and'midway of this lug 134 is a side lug 144. The main lug 134 is-of such a size that, as shown in Fig. 13, it may enter notch 104, that as shown in Fig. 3, it may enter notch 106, and that, as shown in Fig. 2, it may partially enter notch 108, complete entrance in the latter notch being prevented purposely by the engagement of said side lug 144 with the upper corner of notch 108.

Rigidly mounted upon the frontof switch lever 44 is a padlock lug 150 having through it a hole 152 through which padlock lug 154 may be inserted when all of the parts of the device are in the position shown in Fig. 1. This padlock lug 150 is of sucl'ra thickness and of such a size that, owing to the presence of recess 130 heretofore described, the latch dog may pass partially over this padlock lug from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 12,

in which latter position the latch dogis wholly within .notch 106 in semicircular member 102 so that padlock 154 can be inserted in hole 152, as shown, thereby locking the entire device in the position of Fig. 1,

in which, position, as heretofore described, the distant signal is at safety. The operator now removes padlock 154 from padlock lug 150, takes hold of handle 128 and moves the entire latch member to the left in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig.12, and in which position the latch dog entirely incloses or guards the padlock lug and the lug 134 is entirely clear of semicircular member 102, the latch member being hooked upon and supported by the padlock lug, as shown. The operator now takes hold of switch lever 44 and moves it first to the position shown in Fig.- 13, in which the latch dogis directly over notch 104 but owing to the fact that the latch dog is hookedand supported upon the padlock lug it does not drop down into engagement with notch 104. During nal has'been moved from safety to danger but theflswitch point has'not been affected and the switch point lock device at 81'is opened. The operator then continues the movement of lever 44 from the position of Fig. 13 to that of Fig. 14, in reaching which the latch dog drops off from the padlock lug, and as the latch approaches the upper edge of notch 108 it tends to drop into said notch and can move into said notch to the position of Fig. 14 but-it cannot, because of the engagement of side lug 144 with the upper corner of notch 108, enter said notch a sufficient distance to uncover padlock lug 150. and permit padlocking of the switch stand. In other words, during the last mentioned half movement of the switch. lever 44 the device has set the switch point from main track or safety position to side track or danger position, and the object of this construction is to prevent the operators inadvertently padlocking the entire switch stand while the distant signal is set at danger and the switch point is in fact at danger or side track position, the into move theswitch lever from'the position of Fig. 14 back toward the starting point, the latch dog is no longer hooked upon the padlock lug, and in passing notch 104 the dog drops therein, as shown in Fig. 15, thereby warning the operator that if be continues said motion of the switch lever 44 he will begin to set the distant signal to safety. The advantage of this construction is that the operator may oscillate the switch lever 44 between the positions of Figs.- 14Vand15, thereby repeatedly setting the switch point controlled by the device from main track to side track position or vice 'versa as switching operations may require under the protection of the dlstantsignallset at danger, and that as soon as he 104 not to swing the lever 44 past the posi- .tion ofFig. 15, thereby affecting the distant signal, until such time as he is ready to permanently return the lever to the position of Fig. 1 and padlock it, thus setting the distant signal to safety. This latching at the position of Fig. 15 is also of use in rendering theswitch point safe for passage of wheels of cars being switched.

To summarize the foregoing descriptions of operation, it will be seen that whenever the operator unlocks the device while in the position of Fig. 1 and gives the switch lever 44 a half stroke movement he first sets the distant signal from safety to danger thatcontinuing said movement of the switch lever to full stroke, he sets the switch point controlled by the device from main track to side track or from safety to danger position,fthe-lever being latched so as to afford safe movement of wheels over the switch point 'but it cannot be padlocked in that position that the operator may then, by oscillating the switch lever through the second half of its stroke, repeatedly set the switch point from side track to main track and vice versa, being-warned each time he sets the device to main track position not to affect the distant signal until he is through with theswitching operation and that he may then return the switch lever to original position,'thereby setting the distant signal from danger to safety, and that he may then padlock the entirelstand in that position, said padlocking being only possible in that one position. 7 j

Should a train run through the switch at any time except when the stand is latched the force exerted at the'switch point would be communicated through rod 82 to locking bar 28 and throw lever 44 as described.

, The claims are 1. In mechanism of the class described, in combination with a switch stand and a switch lever movable with reference thereto, a re ciprocatable member mounted in the switch stand and movable by said switch lever, and two other movable members each connected to the reciprocatable member by a pin and slot connection so shaped and arranged with reference to each other that a complete movement of the reciproca-table member moves said movable members alternately andlocks the one which is not being moved.

2.[In 'mechanism of the. class described, the combination of a switch stand'and a Witnesses:

stand and reciprocatable by the movement of the switch lever, a pair of pivoted levers located at different points along the reciprocatable member, there being pin and slot connections between each of said levers and the reciprocatable member so shaped and arranged that each of said levers is rocked during a portion of the movement of the reciprocatable-member but that only oneof said levers is moved at a time, and when one is moved the other is locked against movement, for the purposes set forth.

3. Ina device of the class described in combination with a switch stand, a switch lever movable with reference thereto, a reciprocatable member movable by the switch lever between two different positions and a distant signal, mechanism for operating said distant signal and mechanism for operating the switch point, the last two each connected to the reciprocating member through a pin and slot connection, the two pin and slot connections being so arranged and shaped that a complete movement of the reciprocating member operates said two mechanisms alternately and locks each against operation while the other is being operated.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a switch stand, a switch lever movable with reference thereto, a reciprocatable member movable by the switch alternately and locks one against operation whilev the other is being operated, and a member connected with said switch point so arranged as to obstruct the movement of the reciprocating member in passing from the operation of one of said mechanisms to the other unless all of the parts of the track and signal device are in safe working rela-' tion with reference to each other. In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses. y a

l EUGENE MJROBINSON.

DWIGHT B. CHEEVER, V MARGARET D; Ronn j 0091:; of ,this'patent may b eo btained for five cents each, by addressing th'fgommissicincr of Patents,

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